23.12.12

Here some new photos from the Sam's camera about our climb of the Real Big Drip (M7, WI6). This is classic route in Ghost Walley. From Canmore you take the Trans Canada Highway towards Calgary. You take the exit to Morley and continue on the Bow Valley Trail  east. after few kilometers you take the left turn on the Forestry Trunk Road (40). The road take first north and gradually turns to the west. You drive on this road until it intersects with Richards road. After you take Richards to the north but just for few meter, and you turn again left on the Township road. This road brings you to the gorge of the Ghost river. You must cross the river, which is not so difficult during winter and continue south for approx 1 km. The Real Big Drip is situated on the east-north side of the Orient Mountain. Approach from the river gorge will take you about 1-1.5 h. Depends how much snow is there. Good luck! It is a must do ice fall in Rockies in my opinion!
Looking for the way on the Ghost river

remains of a wolf. We also met some alive! )

Physicked before the climb 

The Real Big Drip

On the first pitch of the Real Big Drip. M8 with quite bad rock

Arriving to the first dragger


Finally on the ice

Super comfortable first station 

Second pitch

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Olov leading the third pitch.

Back at the car!

17.12.12

Here we go! One week have past since we are in Canada. Olov, Sam and I arrived to Calgary on the 8th of December. After renting a big Jeep and buying some equipment in Calgary we headed up to Canmore to climb some ice falls in legendary Rocky Mountains.
At Geneva airport


Changeover in Ottawa international airport
Finally we are in Calgary

 We booked our first few nights at the Alpine Club of Canada hostel. This is very nice and cozy place to stay with small rooms and facilities for ice climbers, such as drying room and storage room for the gear. 
On the way to Rocky Mountains
View from Canmore ACC hostel

Moreover the atmosphere is amazing here. After four days of climbing today it is our first rest day when we don't climb at all. I worked on my thesis a bit and started to write a post about our first part of the trip... guys were just hanging around in Canmore. Now few words about ice climbing in Rocky Mountains. This place is really made for ice climbing, the only problem is quite long approaches. In our first day we climbed Replicant (V, WI5+, 145 m) where we had to do 3.5 h approach with trail breaking in deep snow. Anyway the climb was definitely worth it!
Approach to the Trophy Wall
Two hours of approach passed...
Finally we could see the Trophy Wall! But it is still way to go!
Second pitch of Replicant. Olov and Sam are enjoying the climb!
Olov is arriving to belay...
Sam finishing the last pitch.

Next day we decided to take it a bit slowly and wend to the Haffner creek. It's an awesome spot for drytooling and some single pitch ice climbing. We spent full day cragging there and also checked out the Stanley headwall, which looked really fascinating. At the moment parking to go to Stanley is closed and it will be open again after 20th of December. We definitely will send some classic routes over there. Many of the photos from Haffner are on the Sam's camera. So they will be here later. 
Next day on December 12 we decided to climb one of the classical waterfall in Rockies, which is called the Real Big Drip 200 m V, M7+, WI7. Driving took us about 3 hours to get to the Ghost Walley. From the parking we hiked up for about 2 h and saw this amazing line...
The Real Big Drip in its beauty!
And it is really a big one!!! Even though we were late at the base we decided to try it anyway. The first three pitches are the crux. I leaded the first dry tooling pitch (M7+) up to the first dagger, then you have to continue for another 10 m of steep ice. Here is the photo from the first belay station.
View from the Real Big Drip.

Second pitch is pure ice even though it is quite steep. Few ice mushrooms add some difficulties. Third pitch is mainly dry tooling with some ice before you reach the main icicle. Olov leaded this pitch showing nice and efficient climbing. At the end of third pitch we were hanging with Olov just behind the main ice curtain. At the time we arrived there it was already close to 5.30, so we decided to go down, since we had only 30 min before it gets dark. Even though we haven't finished the last two ice pitches the climb was definitely worth it and we enjoyed a lot! Some more nice photos on the Sam's camera.
The journey continues, and in the next post I'll upload some awesome photos from T2 (Terminator) route, which we climbed on the 16th of December.

6.12.12

After a long break my blog is back to life! Last Wednesday I successfully finished my thesis, and now I have time to come back to my passion. To prepare for our ice climbing and skiing trip to Canada my friends Olov, Samuel and I went several times for dry tooling close to Lausanne. Here just few pictures from Orbe
Olov sending D9 in Orbe
Myself on the same route with additional weight